"STATES OF BLACKNESS" EXHIBITION (2023) Sponsored by the U.S. Embassy
"I Dreamed of Seeing Myself" (2021) unfolds as an experimental film, starring actress and poet Yrsa Daley-Ward, a poem written by filmmaker-artist-actor Jamal Ademola titled "I Forever Am," and the soulful vocals of actor and musician Tunde Adebimpe. This phantasmagoric journey delves into the psyche of a Black woman
writer played by Daley-Ward who grapples with profound bouts of depression, as she transcends into a hypnagogic realm and encounters an enigmatic Black deity named "Sunmoluwa." Rooted in cosmic Yoruba mythology, Sunmoluwa a cosmic "Iyami Aje", emerges as the All-Seer, a creative feminine force birthing a novel universe that unravels the boundless tapestry of time and space.
Jamal Ademola's film installation is a masterful amalgamation of elements—high-definition video, poignant poetry, mesmerizing animation, and archival footage. The narrative is enriched by contemporary interviews exploring the significance of dreams, while nostalgic clips of Nina Simone impart timeless wisdom on the imperative of remaining authentically true to oneself. Through this cinematic experience, Ademola contemplates the portal of blackness as a gateway to the beyond, inviting viewers to ponder the profound presence of the infinite.
"This exhibition expresses different perspectives of blackness and reflects on the different ways it is experienced, across various artistic mediums, voices, and geographic states. The six selected artists ( Jamal Ademola, Stephanie Brown, Lewinale Havette, Kay Hickman, Alexis McGrigg, Jasmine Murrell ) each illuminate evolving ‘States of Blackness’, in the service of freedom, and therefore social justice for all." - Black Cultural Archives
PRESS:
Urban Kapital Magazine : Black Cultural Archives explore States of Blackness
CREDITS
Curator : Lisa Anderson
Gallery : (BCA) Black Cultural Archives, Brixton, London.
Artists : Jamal Ademola , Alexis McGrigg ,
Jasmine Murrell , Lewinale Havette ,
Stephanie Brown, and Kay Hickman
Exhibition Install & Design: Hannah John
Special Thanks :
Lisa Anderson
Hannah John
Jeremiah Ojo
Ilèkùn Wa
“BCA was formed to amplify the stories of people of African and Caribbean descent in the UK and our commitment to amplify Black British history has always been grounded in a global Diasporic lens - one that requires us to acknowledge our connectedness to the stories of Black people globally.
The original vision for BCA was heavily influenced by the work of American civil right’s activist, Queen Mother Moore. So, this February, during US Black History Month, States of Blackness, follows our previous Transforming Legacies exhibition, with an exploration of our connections to Black contemporary histories across the Atlantic.” - Black Cultural Archives
Black Cultural Archives (BCA) is an archive and heritage centre in Brixton, London, devoted to the histories of people of African and Caribbean descent in Britain. Also known as BCA, it was founded in 1981, by educationalist and historian Len Garrison and others. BCA's mission is to record, preserve and celebrate the history of people of African descent in Britain. The BCA's new building in Brixton, opened in 2014, enables access to the archive collection, provides dedicated learning spaces and mounts a programme of exhibitions and events.
